


Cages

by fghoull



Category: Freddy vs. Jason (2003), Friday the 13th Series (Movies), Friday the 13th: The Game (Video Game), Friday the 13th: The Series (TV), Scream (Movies)
Genre: Camping, Gay, Horror, Jason Voorhees x reader, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Movie: Friday the 13th (1980), Movie: Friday the 13th (2009), Mute Jason Voorhees, Reader-Insert, Scary Movies, Undead Jason Voorhees
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-27 04:01:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30116856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fghoull/pseuds/fghoull
Summary: This is for all my GFJs (Gays For Jason) out there, less go.Just a lil story about fighting to be brave, finding where you belong, and sappy stuff like that. Als o Jason Voorhees is there and he is like, so totally into you, just don't tell anyone I said that. I don't plan on making a whole bunch of chapters but there will be a few just to deliver the story I'm trying to tell. FAIR WARNING: Jason is pretty thick in this one ngl so please read with care...
Relationships: Jason Voorhees/You
Kudos: 6





	1. Act 1

Flowers. They slept on the palm of my hand, the sweet fragrances ascending to my nose while my eyes scanned up and down their lengths. Green stems, yellow and red pistils, the petals quiet and still, the collection of life was cooped together in my grip, and to me it was beautiful. So delicate, any exertion of force would destroy their radiance, but I wasn’t planning on doing such, especially to something as fragile as these. To destroy them would be like smashing glass between my fist. Yet, the question of why he gave them to me lingers on, why now, after all this time did he choose to do this? Was it something that I had done, or maybe just coincidence, were they even meant for me? I can’t say for certain, but I know they came from him because he is looking right at me from behind the trees. Watching.

\---

ONE DAY AGO

It was my idea to begin with, camping alone was something I had always craved to do even when I was growing up. Not the kind where there’s an indoor pool just a walking distance away like when I was a kid, but real camping, where the stars aren’t coated in pollution and nature isn’t reserved to only fractions of a campsite. No people, no highways, no social media, no work, and all the troubles that come from these things. Sometimes I see them as cages, ones where the bars are invisible, but nevertheless real. There is no escaping these cages, but temporarily we can be free in pockets of spaces, out there, where there is nothing between you and the rest of the world.

The parents and friends had opposed the idea of me going alone to the middle of nowhere, saying that I could be attacked by a wild animal or something of the sort, which, while plausible, was something I could prepare for ahead of time. Plus, there’s nothing like a good ol’ “YOLO” to remind yourself that we are temporary. Don’t get me wrong, a part of me is terrified to find something like a black bear in my tent, but I never took enough risks while I was younger, so I feel this makes up for that fact. I had always played high school safe, found the right people, the smart, responsible people, and stuck with them, paying attention and studying for every class, never going to massive parties. Not sure if that’s what’s supposed to happen, but regardless, it’s part of the reason I am the way I am: afraid. 

But not today. Today I was going to escape all of that boring bullshit and finally live the way I’ve always wanted to. I don’t care what my family thinks. I am going to do this.

All I could do was hope for the best and plan, and that’s exactly what I’m doing now: preparing. My gear is spaced around the few rooms of my house, which is as uninteresting as they come, but items don’t mean much to me. I gathered all that I could think of, sleeping bags, tent, snacks, meal prep, fishing rods, bait, compass, clothes, and things of that sort. I made sure not to forget my rifle as I loaded it onto my pickup truck. Never had to use it before, and I hope that it stays that way for the rest of this trip. 

Most of the items went inside with me, and before I took off, I looked down my list to ensure that I had everything I could possibly need. A part of me felt that I was indeed forgetting something. Another part of me didn’t care. So I took off without a second thought. I promised myself no more of those anymore as I switched my truck into drive and finally fled my cage.

The actual drive was extensive, but enjoyable because I had some of my favorite CDs with me essentially at all times. My vehicle was ancient and so was my radio, so I had no other choice but to keep physical copies of my music, which I had no problem with. The truck exudes early 2000’s vibes, something I am proud of. 

I left early in the morning so as to get there with enough time to set up before the sun went down, I felt like my body was about to spontaneously combust at any moment, but my determination kept me awake and going the entire trip, determination to exist somewhere out of the norm and enjoy the presence of animals all shapes and sizes, determination to finally start living, making the hours fly by without much notice. The black coffee probably helped too.

The surroundings flew by with great velocity as I eventually left my urban environment into one that was more deserted and tranquil, like traveling through different worlds across opposite sides of the universe. These two settings could not be more contrasting, but this is what I had hoped for, something that resembled change. I know where I’m going, how it’s supposed to appear, but seeing it in person as it unfolds before you is always an experience you never forget, the way things were different in your mind put against the way things are in reality, but in the best way possible. I was taken aback as nature swallowed me whole, I invited the feeling. My destination was fast approaching.

The chime of sighing apricot leaves, the cool air gently stroking my cheek, and the smell of warm sap squeezed through pockets in the oak, the oak belonging to the delicately crafted escape that was the deciduous forest, it all was real. The sun stood silently, perched up at its highest point as it washed me in its brilliant golden rays. A sense of rapturous incoherence surmounted my senses, intoxicated by the sudden rush of beauty belonging to this enclosed peace. It seemed to be teeming with life, some were even kept secret, hiding within the towering trees, within the bushes, or in the grass beneath my feet, too small to even observe. The wind that blew was strong, causing a sort of breathing sound to emit from all angles and within every crevice. The whole forest seemed to be sentient, as if living alongside me, breathing in air, I enjoy the company.

The fragrance that furnishes the earth I find myself in is dressed with the pure and cutting breeze. It’s a clear vanilla type of air that clears my throat with its cold and quiet fingers. It digs itself into my head, ushering away all my thoughts, as if someone had cleansed it. 

I turn back to examine my setup. Everything is in place, tables set up for whenever they’re needed, bags and boxes unloaded, the grill is out and ready for use, the tent stood proudly in the center of it all with its warm red coating, the core of this little environment I had constructed by myself and for myself. Most things come from my previous camping excursions with family and friends, and so my tent is really meant for a lot more people, but this time I have it all to myself, everything is really. It’s hard thinking that without it sounding selfish, I just have to remember who I’m sharing it all with, I was not the only one out here. The animals were here too, and I’ll make it a conscious effort to respect them and their spaces under any circumstance.

I had always been fond of all living creatures since I was a child feeding bunnies under our house, a secret to keep away from disapproving parents. They were fluffy and soft to the touch, adorable, but animals don’t need to be adorable for me to love and respect them. At the end of the day, I view our bodies as vessels with which we carry our souls, the very essence of who we are, the value of them is insurmountable compared to simple complexions and looks. It’s cheesy as fuck, but I live by that fact, and I hope people believe it too when they see me. Everything deserves a chance to prove their worth.

Taking a step back, it was all so picturesque, as if ripped straight from a brochure about hiking or something of the sort. This is exactly what I had hoped for, to be prepared, but not stressing over perfecting any little thing like I would under any normal circumstances. I hope this change stays with me even after I take it all down. I want to take something away from this experience even if it is just something small like remembering to worry less about--

A twig snaps. A bird flees. Perhaps it’s another animal, I turn my head to survey. Nothing but leaves and trees. My eyes don’t avert from the source of the sound. For some reason my heart is racing. I place my hand over it in an attempt to slow down the pacing, but it won’t stop. I don’t even notice that my legs seem to gravitate to where I heard it. I have to examine further, make sure that where I put my camp is safe, even after I had double checked my surroundings before setting up. Maybe I missed something. A group of animals. I can’t keep my breath under control and my steps are like anvils. God, what could that be…

Before I know it, I’m quite a distance away from my campsite, away from the familiar surroundings that I had grown attached to. I had never seen these oak trees before, nor the fallen leaves that blow beneath them. It was about here that I heard the sound, I’m sure of it. Nothing seems to stand out. Maybe I’m just paranoid. I am known to scare myself more than anything else. Yet here I am, alone, defenseless, and anxious. The funny thing is that I wanted this. I knew that I was going to feel this way and yet I came here just the same. I’m ridiculous.

Then I see it. A wolf. It’s still a distance away but it’s clear what’s happening. There’s a long howl that emits from its maw. It’s in pain, but it can’t seem to move. I break into a sprint, not noticing that my legs have reduced to jelly, capable of giving out at any moment. My attention is on the animal, relatively small in size, it can’t be any taller than one and a half feet, it isn’t even fully grown yet. There’s a glint from just below the wolf’s belly. A bear trap. Jesus christ, I can’t even believe that I’m witnessing this. That doesn’t deter my pace as much as I thought it would. I can see clearly at this point, the bear trap is latched over his left hind leg, blood oozing over the cool metal teeth that clenched onto the animal with such vigor. I’m close now, just noticing the snarls directed towards me from the wolf, despite its condition, but he seems more fearful than anything. Why can’t I stop getting closer? The moment I’m in arms reach, it’ll attack, bite my fingers off, or maybe even…

I missed the part where I put my hands on the trap, but they are most definitely there now. I’m aware of how these things work, at least I hope I am, so my body seems to naturally get into position, both hands on either side of the machine, using my entire weight to press down against it, hopefully releasing the grip. I feel the wolf’s warmth pressed against me, acting as an enormous heat source. It’s so close I can feel it’s hot breath against my skin. A low rumble emits from its throat. Holy shit. I’m covered in dirt and smell something rotten. Fuck, I can’t think about that now. I just have to keep pressing down. Jesus, how did I end up here. Press down. 

There’s a cold and metallic sound from just beneath me. I look down. Opened. I look up. Gone. The wolf left within seconds after it had opened into a direction I was unsure of. I look back down and see the blood forming a trail, but mostly collected in a small puddle in the center of the trap and on the teeth of it. I finally release my weight from over and sit back down on the dirt floor. My face is heated, no, my whole body is, and everything seems to be numb for a long time. I stare up at the sky. Dark red. It reminds me of the blood that had also gotten over my hands and clothes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much of it in my whole life. Yet, the wolf was able to limp fast enough away from me that I couldn’t even catch up. I couldn’t do anything else to help it. Pathetic. God, I am truly pathetic. My breathing starts to stabilize, however my chest is still heaving. I can barely feel anything right about now. The sky is growing darker by the second. I know I have to get up but I can’t. Something is weighing me down. What did I do…

There are hills that surround me, small ones where the very top is visible just from looking up. The silhouettes of my surrounds grow with every second. And yet I can’t move. At this rate, I’ll be stuck out here, all alone, in the middle of God knows where. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault.

My eyes scan the hills and there’s a figure just atop one to my right. It’s a bold shape, but hard to examine any details, especially in the dark. I squint my eyes so as to see it better. This proved to be a bad idea because the last thing I can remember seeing was a sort of mask before passing out cold.


	2. Act 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to find some answers. Sometimes it's good to stop and remember where you are.

It was the mask that I remember the most. The shape fabricates in my mind with such clarity that it is almost tangible. So close, in my hands, I carry its weight as the eyes return my glance. The red shapes along the cheeks and forehead, the breathing holes that dressed its lower portion, yet it’s the empty eye sockets are what I focus on the most. Unblinking, it examines me like a hunter and I, its prey. It’s intentions were so clear, so why was it that I was not afraid anymore?

I lift up from my daze, drenched in sweat and hyperventilating, trying to decipher my surroundings and remember how I got here, back in my own tent, when I don’t recall ever returning. My senses are shot, and I barely remember who I am or why I was here. There’s something shaking just above my chest, but I soon feel that it’s the shaking of my fingers, frightened and restless, I do everything I can to regain control of my own body. Eventually, my shaking stops and I am able to think clearly. My eyes fell down to see that I had been tucked into my cot, safe and sound, tent still zipped up so as to keep the wind out, shoes off and sitting in one of the corners, everything is silent safe for the gusts of winds that blow steadily against my tent. From the brightness emitting from beyond the walls, I deduced that it was morning again, and that an entire day had passed since…

The wolf. I remember it now, how it was helplessly stuck in the bear trap, the way it had snarled at my very presence despite my intentions, the feeling of its hot breath against my cheeks, and sight of blood that flooded the scene. I looked down my shirt to see if any of it remained from that incident, proof that it was real, anything that indicated that it all happened and that I was not going insane out here, but there was nothing of the sort, clean. Oh, how I wished that weren’t true.

But that figure above the mountains, it was so vivid that it had to be real, every detail of that mask was ingrained in my brain that I could draw it out. Those details get lost in dreams, so that means that it had to have happened, it must have, but if that were the case, where was the blood and why was I back in my own tent when my memory fails to remember making the way back? I decided that the best course of action is to just get up and see if anything has changed around my campsite, any sign that would reveal the truth about what really happened yesterday and whether or not I was mistaken about those events. My body aches, but I don’t care, I have to get up and see it for myself.

I grip the zipper of the entrance and pull up with all my might, all that I could muster at least, and find myself blinded by the light as it came pouring down over me. I force my lids to open, to see through it, only to find everything, the food, the boxes, the gear, and everything else completely untouched, some of it still unpacked from yesterday, everything exactly how I had left it. Unbelievable. So then maybe...my mind had just conjured the events of that afternoon, a result of exhaustion combined with my own anxiety. God knows I don’t feel any better now despite however much sleep I had last night. I don’t remember anything past the moment the wolf fled the scene. My head was pulsing trying to think about it, replaying it over and over again in my brain, scanning for any indication that it was real. I couldn’t have just been me, could it? Nothing like this has ever happened to me, and I fear what is to come. Maybe the first step in losing my sanity. I don’t want to think about it anymore, I have to get going with the rest of my day, enjoy the time I have left out here. After all, this is supposed to be a vacation of sorts…  
I take my first step out of the tent, it’s a shaky one that falls further down than I had predicted, so much so that I look down. Then there it is, a footstep, a big one at that too, that appears to have been made by a pair of boots. Around it are several other identical ones that flow from both ends of the clearing that I had set up my camp. But the one that I had stepped in, it was facing the entrance of my tent exactly, as if it had stopped here, right where I was sleeping. I remember to breathe.

This was it, my proof. I can’t take my eyes off of it because I’m afraid that if I look away, they’ll vanish, proving that I really was insane, but there’s still here after a couple blinks, real. My throat is dry, and I remember that I haven’t eaten anything either in quite some time. For some reason, that is enough motivation for me to move away from this scene, to forget about it even for just a moment. Temporarily, I choose to not think about it or the ghastly beast that could have made them. How enormous it must be in size to have even made such a footstep. Could he be the figure that was on the hill that night, considering that this was all not just in my head? There I go again, thinking. I do it throughout breakfast.

...

Time has passed since I first woke up this morning, and besides the footsteps, not much has happened, however I am listening to every sound that reaches my ears, the birds singing, the swaying of tree leaves, the bugs that live beneath me, I took it all in and digested them slowly, the cold, icy grip of fear around my neck. The fingers claw their way around me until I’m consumed. I could feel the apprehension in the air, palpable.

No matter how much I try or what I do to distract myself from the footsteps, the effort becomes futile. I can’t even sit down and enjoy the sun without the thought of them crossing my mind, about where they came from and where they lead. I fill my time with everything that I had brought along with me on this trip and yet the curiosity stays with me all the same. It fills my veins and I want nothing more than to know, to understand. But then I decided that enough was enough, I can’t take this anticipation any longer, it’s killing me, the fact that whatever this thing was is now intertwined with my life in a mysterious way, I have to find out how. This is so unlike me to just go out recklessly despite my lack of knowledge over it all. I seek to understand, then act, that’s the way I’m written, how I define myself and my actions. Yet, here I am, stepping away from my familiar into yet another road with an unknown destination, an exact replica of yesterday’s decision. I haven’t even bothered to ask myself if I regret doing it. All I’m thinking about was the trail of footsteps ahead of me and how they are obscured by the army of trees that outline my little clearing. Going further, I would need to travel into the lush green thickness, away from it all. None of this stops me for even a moment.

My eyes switch from looking down at the trail to my surroundings constantly, observing the quiet demeanor of the forest and it’s little habits, like the birds that glide from one tree to the next, always in groups. It’s like they can read each other's minds and have every move planned before they even lift from the branch. Past them, the sunlight oozes through the maze of branches and leaves that decorate the sky, the green ceiling was yards above me, and yet it felt so close, the light kissing my skin as I follow the steps deeper into the woodlands, a strange sense of being home swells inside of me despite the fact that my apartment was miles away and that I had never felt this feeling in years. I took comfort in this little pocket of tranquility and the ones that I share it with regardless of why I was out here in the first place.

Before I even noticed, I’ve already made an incredible distance between here and my camp, which is most likely a dot in the distance even if I could see past the oak trees. I forget the reason why I walked out here in the first place, part of the reason why I can even enjoy being out here alone. The vastness of it all took away from the fear bubbling in my stomach, it was comforting and, in a way, this is exactly what I had wanted out of this trip, to forget and finally stop thinking. Who knew this is what it would have taken to do that.

Here the footsteps end, dead center of an open space, no other structures surrounding that could explain why they ended here, in this empty space. I scan all around me, no other presence besides the wildlife, the figure was nowhere to be found. No explanation came to mind as to why they suddenly just stopped, no other sign of where it could have gone or anything of the sort. I abandon the trail to search the surrounding area to no avail, no clue to go off of. Even if it did somehow manage to get close to one of the trees, it was not above me, the possibility seemed far fetched either way. Then again, what has made sense recently? This is the excuse I told myself as I circle back to where I had come from, empty handed, but grateful to have even seen the sights I did on the way here. That was enough for me to say that this little adventure was not a waste of my time.

On the way back I even saw a collection of flowers that I had missed earlier, clumped together near the trunk of a tree, yellow and red, an interesting color combination to find out here where nothing else looked similar. I stop to admire them and their natural beauty, they contrast everything around them. After a moment, I continued down the path back to the campsite, a slight smile spread across my face, eyes up.

...

The subject of time has yet to cross my mind throughout this entire day, and so before I even notice, cherry red and cool blue paints the vast sky above me. The cloud formations are thin and unique, holding hands around the circumference of the world, at least my portion of it. They dissipate and reform over and over again, transforming into a different shape every time. The bowl of light takes refuge behind them as it too drifts to sleep, slow enough that you can observe every inch of its descent with clarity. It’s interesting how you’re able to stare directly into the sun just before it dies.

My campsite can’t be much further from this point, I’ve been walking for quite a while even if it doesn’t feel like it. The wind is starting to pick up as my surroundings grow darker with every breath I take. I’m prompted to pick up my pace because in all honesty, the dark still scares me, as ridiculous as I sound. I never grew out of that fear, but I’m good at hiding it around everyone, not here though, where I’m alone and able to feel more deeply. I both relish and despise that fact.

Unfamiliar sounds enact from the dark areas of my surroundings, nocturnal creatures that I have yet to meet. I missed that opportunity yesterday when I passed out, this kind of dark was foreign to me, no source of light coming from anywhere else but the fading sun, no lampposts, no cars, no buildings. I’m glad.

I stay focused on the ground now, attentive to the footprints that map my way back to home. I hope that they don’t become obscured, that they stay the way they are now, useful. Right now, I’m going faster than I ever have before, careful not to burst into a sprint though, to conserve the energy and avoid drawing unwanted attention from the animals in the dark. Pretty soon I won’t be able to even see a hand in front of my face, let alone a predator. I have to keep moving before it’s too late, maneuvering through the trees, taking obvious shortcuts, anything I could to conserve time and get there as fast as possible.  
I’m sweating now, feet growing numb, and soon enough my controlled breathing slips through my fingers until my lungs compress and expand with great velocity. To be caught out here alone, the thought haunted me. I can’t stop moving. I don’t bother checking around me before entering a new area, I just wanted to make it back before it was too late. That’s when I see it. Absorbing the last bit of sun, my red tent sways with the wind, but the stakes hold it in place, keeping its solid form. I found it.

A rush of joy fills my whole body as I finally relax my aching legs. It was still here. A part of me worried that for some reason it wouldn't be, those bizarre thoughts that cross your mind even when you know they’re impossible. Despite that, it stayed, waiting for me to come back. I was incapable of suppressing my smile, getting closer to the comfort of its interior. Right on time.

Reaching the entrance, I spot something at the foot of the door, resting on the ground, a collection of colors. My smile fades. My pace slows as I enter their proximity. And here they were, the flowers, red and yellow, just as I had seen them earlier, only now at my campsite, here. They slept side by side, their stem’s cut roughly in the same spot, clearly intentional. I don’t know what to do now but just stare in awe. These were unmistakably the same ones that I had stopped to look at. The exact ones. I don’t bother to pick them up before snapping my head up to examine the surrounding forest. My eyes follow from left to right, looking between every branch, every bush for what, I was not sure. I did find something though. Through the veil of darkness, I spot a familiar mask gazing back into my eyes. It waited for me while I waited for it.


End file.
